‘Chillai kalan’ tightens grip, Leh coldest at -17.7°C

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 12

The ‘Chillai kalan’ has crossed the halfway mark and tightened its grip in the region leading to shivers and freezing cold as the Leh town in the Ladakh region was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as it shivered at the season’s lowest temprature of -17.7 °C – down nearly two degrees from yesterday’s -16 °C, an official at the Metrological Department said.

The tourist resort of Gulmarg, 50 km from here in north Kashmir, which attracts more snow skiers during winters, recorded the lowest temperature of -13.5 °C, the department said. The maximum temperature in the day at Gulmarg was -2.5°C, the department said. The Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir also recorded the lowest temperature of -13 °C with a maximum temperature of 3 °C today.

The lowest temperature in Srinagar was recorded at -5 °C while the day temperature was recorded at 2.4 °C today, the department said. The capital city of Srinagar witnessed shivers and freezing cold with frozen water taps this morning as the lowest temperature touched -5 °C last night, the third lowest temperature this season.